Editorial: Clean beach scores reminder of work ahead

WATER QUALITY TESTS that show that Marin's beaches get top marks for being clean is great news for those wanting to take a dip.

Heal the Bay recently issued its annual report card on Bay Area beaches after testing the water for bacterial pollution.

Marin's 24 beaches got either an A or an A+.

That's a pretty impressive report card for local beaches that range from Stinson to Chicken Ranch, near Inverness.

"Marin County earned excellent water quality grades this past year during summer dry weather, with all locations receiving 'A' grades," the Santa Monica-based environmental group reported.

Ninety-three percent of the beaches around the bay earned 'A' grades. Up and down the state 85 percent got top marks.

The only reservation to our bragging rights is that the weekly samples used to determine water-quality grades were taken during dry-weather months, not the rainy season, when locally we tend to have more of a problem with pollution from sewage and animal waste.

Evidence of bacterial pollution is usually after periods of heavy rain, according to San Francisco Baykeeper, which also keeps a close watch on pollution levels in the bay,

Heal the Bay agrees, noting that Marin officials need to continue to work on the projects aimed at halting wet-weather pollution.

Rainwater seeps into our local sewer systems and overwhelms sewer lines, causing spills into the bay and local creeks.

Fortunately, there were no large spills reported during the recent winter and spring months.

There also wasn't much rain.

Baykeeper says that crumbling sewer pipes across Bay Area communities has been one of the most serious threats to the health of the bay.

The organization has been on the front lines, pressing for sewage agencies to step up their repair and replacement of broken sewer pipes.

During the 1980s, federal Clean Water Act programs helped finance the construction of new sewer plants that provided higher levels of treatment before wastewater is released into the bay.

But a collection system of broken — or missing — sewer pipes continues to pose a pollution threat. Tree roots, time, faulty materials and ground movement have taken their toll on the safety and security of our sewer systems.

While environmental protection has long been a top priority for Marin residents, having a leak-free sewer system is a local responsibility that not only keeps local beaches clean, but also makes sure Marin doesn't foul the bay.

Baykeeper says it expects, as jurisdictions repair sewer systems to safely handle wet-weather demands, the number of spills and pollution threats will decline.

The great grades from Heal the Bay are definitely worth boasting about. But as we work on replacing and repairing sewer pipes, from laterals to mains, our goal should be to earn the same scores year-round, rain or shine.